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At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed2006

Regulation of trans fats: the gap, the Polder, and McDonald's French fries.

Lowering the intake of trans fatty acids (TFA) probably reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease. Estimates of the reduction vary from 4% based on changes in plasma LDL and HDL concentrations alone, to > 20% based on epidemiological associations when TFA intake is lowered by 2% of energy (5 g/day). Even the lowest estimate represents enough cases to justify measures to reduce TFA intake. In The Netherlands, a major reduction in TFA content of retail foods has been achieved in the 1990s through efforts of industry; government intervention has been minimal. Societal pressure is now helping to reduce the TFA content of fast foods. McDonald's French fries in The Netherlands now have less than 4% trans and 24% saturates, as opposed to 21% trans and 21% saturates in the USA. This illustrates the feasibility of reducing TFA in fast foods without increasing saturates. As a result of these developments, dairy and meat have become the major remaining source of TFA in Europe. The question whether these ruminant TFA have the same effect on coronary heart disease risk as industrial TFA has not been settled.

Coronary Disease↗
PubMed1992

Diet and inflammatory bowel disease: a case-control study.

We conducted a population-based case-control study of inflammatory bowel disease and dietary habits in Stockholm during 1984-1987. We obtained retrospective information about food intake 5 years previously by a postal questionnaire for 152 cases with Crohn's disease, 145 cases with ulcerative colitis, and 305 controls. The relative risk of Crohn's disease was increased for subjects who had a high (55 gm or more per day) intake of sucrose (relative risk = 2.6, 95% confidence interval = 1.4-5.0) and was decreased for subjects who had a high (15 gm or more per day) intake of fiber (relative risk = 0.5, 95% confidence interval = 0.3-0.9). The most striking finding was an increased relative risk of both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis associated with consumption of fast foods: the relative risk associated with consumption of fast foods at least two times a week was estimated at 3.4 (95% confidence interval = 1.3-9.3) for Crohn's disease and 3.9 (95% confidence interval = 1.4-10.6) for ulcerative colitis. Although coffee seemed to provide a protective effect for both diseases, there are reasons to consider this finding an artifact.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Are ball pits the playground for potentially harmful bacteria?

Ball pits, enclosed play areas with padded floors and pits of small plastic balls, have become popular features for children at fast food restaurants. This pilot study sought to identify and confirm bacterial organisms that place children at a potential health risk in three play pits within fast food restaurants. Data for this descriptive study were randomly collected from restaurants offering play pits with multicolored, round, hollow, plastic balls within urban communities of the Tidewater region of Virginia. Specimens were collected from entrances into the ball pits as well as various areas of the bottom lining to incur a representative sample. Results indicated an increased level of normal flora as well as nonhuman flora, demonstrating that bacteria are present within the ball pits. The results question the safety of these play pits for both health care providers and parents. Nurses play a vital role in public awareness through health education. Disinfection protocol and proper handwashing are the keys to making ball pit play areas safe for children.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Preparing staff to enhance active participation of adults with severe disabilities by offering choice and prompting performance during a community purchasing activity.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a multicomponent staff training package on the number of choice responses and performance responses made by adults with disabilities in a community purchasing activity. The multicomponent training package included an inservice (written manuals, a verbal explanation of the information, role play activities, and video examples) performance feedback sessions in the community context, and self-monitoring instruction. Primary data were collected on how each staff offered choices and prompted performance with an individual with severe disabilities in three different fast food restaurants per week. Secondary data were collected on the number of choices individuals with disabilities made and the level of their performance during a purchase in a fast food restaurant. The findings showed that all four of the staff did not give opportunities for choices and used intrusive prompting or performed the skill for the person in baseline, but mastered these skills the first probe after the training sessions. In addition, the staff generalized offering choices and prompting performance across settings and adults with disabilities and maintained the skills. Also, the adults with disabilities increased the number of choice responses they made as well as their level of performance (compared to baseline) after the staff received the intervention.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

An ecological study of the relationship between social and environmental determinants of obesity.

There is growing concern with the increasing prevalence of obesity in industrialised countries, a trend that is more apparent in the poor than in the rich. In an ecological study, the relationship between an area measure of socioeconomic status (SES) and the density of fast-food outlets was examined as one possible explanation for the phenomenon. It was found that there was a dose-response between SES and the density of fast-food outlets, with people living in areas from the poorest SES category having 2.5 times the exposure to outlets than people in the wealthiest category. The findings are discussed.

Australia↗
PubMed1977

Lowering of fasting and food stimulated serum immunoreactive gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) by glucagon.

The effect of intravenous glucagon infusion on serum levels of immunoreactive GIP (IR-GIP), insulin (IRI), gastrin (IRG), and on blood glucose has been investigated in six healthy volunteers in the fasting state and during ingestion of a mixed standard meal. Glucagon (500 ng/kg/min) lowered significantly serum levels of IR-GIP and IRG below the fasting values and increased the levels of IRI and blood glucose. Glucagon (50 ng/kg/min) infused 30 minutes before and continued 90 minutes after ingestion of a test meal abolished the IR-GIP response, suppressed significantly the IRG response, and left the IRI response unchanged. The same glucagon dose infused 60 minutes after ingestion of the test meal decreased significantly the raised levels of IR-GIP and IRG to fasting levels without changing IRI values. It is concluded that exogenous glucagon inhibits Gip release at the level of the GIP-producing cells.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Differences in food habits and cardiovascular disease risk factors among Native Americans with and without diabetes: the Inter-Tribal Heart Project.

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in food habits among Native Americans with and without diabetes. DESIGN: A cross-sectional epidemiological study in which participants underwent a physical examination and answered an extensive interviewer-administered questionnaire to assess differences in food servings, preparation and eating habits. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Participants aged >/=25 years were randomly selected from three reservations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. There were 990 persons without diabetes, 294 with a prior diagnosis of diabetes, and 80 with fasting glucose >125 mg dl(-1) but no prior diabetes diagnosis. RESULTS: Persons with prior diabetes diagnosis were less likely than those without diabetes to report eating fast-food meals two or more times per week, eat visible fat on meat or the skin on poultry, eat fried chicken or fried fish, to add fat to cooked vegetables and drink whole milk. Persons with previously undiagnosed diabetes were more likely than previously diagnosed persons to report eating fast-food meals two or more times per week, eat visible fat on meat and the skin on poultry, drink whole milk and eat fried fish, but were less likely to drink low-fat milk. Previously undiagnosed persons were more likely than either diagnosed persons or persons without diabetes to consume lard from cooked foods and use it when cooking. CONCLUSION: Persons with diagnosed diabetes showed healthier eating patterns than those without diabetes, while undiagnosed persons showed some less favourable patterns. Because virtually all persons with diabetes in these communities receive nutrition education, the results suggest that nutrition education programmes for diabetics may be associated with healthier eating patterns.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Fruit, vegetable, and fat intake among non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white adolescents: associations with home availability and food consumption settings.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to explore home food availability and common settings of food consumption as correlates of fruit, vegetable, and fat intake among a sample of non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white adolescents. PARTICIPANTS AND DESIGN: Adolescents (n=144 black, 84 white) and their parents completed a cross-sectional survey in an urban adolescent health clinic. The adolescent survey included screening measures for fruit, vegetable, and fat intake and items on frequency of eating meals with family, while watching television, and at three types of restaurants. Parents provided information on home availability of foods. MAIN OUTCOMES: Correlates of fruit, vegetable, and fat consumption. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Spearman correlations for associations among variables, t tests for mean comparisons, and multiple stepwise regression conducted separately for black and white adolescents. RESULTS: In multiple regression, home availability was not significantly associated with fruit, vegetable, or fat intake except for fruit intake among white adolescents only. Use of non-fast-food restaurants was the strongest positive predictor of vegetable intake. For both black and white adolescents, fast-food and buffet restaurant use and eating while watching television were the strongest predictors of fat intake. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with restaurant use and eating while watching television, home availability had a relatively small impact on fruit, vegetable, and fat consumption for both black and white adolescents. Intervention programs on adolescent nutrition should target not just availability of healthful foods, but also ease of access, such as the preparation of fruits and vegetables so that they are flavorful and ready to eat.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Impaired endothelial function following a meal rich in used cooking fat.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that intake of used cooking fat is associated with impaired endothelial function. BACKGROUND: Diets containing high levels of lipid oxidation products may accelerate atherogenesis, but the effect on endothelial function is unknown. METHODS: Flow-mediated endothelium-dependent dilation and glyceryl trinitrate-induced endothelium-independent dilation of the brachial artery were investigated in 10 men. Subjects had arterial studies before and 4 h after three test meals: 1) a meal (fat 64.4 g) rich in cooking fat that had been used for deep frying in a fast food restaurant; 2) the same meal (fat 64.4 g) rich in unused cooking fat, and 3) a corresponding low fat meal (fat 18.4 g) without added fat. RESULTS: Endothelium-dependent dilation decreased between fasting and postprandial studies after the used fat meal (5.9 +/- 2.3% vs. 0.8 +/- 2.2%, p = 0.0003), but there was no significant change after the unused fat meal (5.3 +/- 2.1% vs. 6.0 +/- 2.5%) or low fat meal (5.3 +/- 2.3% vs. 5.4 +/- 3.3%). There was no significant difference in endothelium-independent dilation after any of the meals. Plasma free fatty acid concentration did not change significantly during any of the meals. The level of postprandial hypertriglyceridemia was not associated with change in endothelial function. CONCLUSIONS: Ingestion of a meal rich in fat previously used for deep frying in a commercial fast food restaurant resulted in impaired arterial endothelial function. These findings suggest that intake of degradation products of heated fat contribute to endothelial dysfunction.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Risk factors for and prevention of sporadic infections with vero cytotoxin (shiga toxin) producing Escherichia coli O157.

BACKGROUND: Recent outbreaks of vero cytotoxin (shiga toxin) producing Escherichia coli O157 (VTEC O157) infection have stimulated debate on food safety. However, 90% of cases in England and Wales are sporadic. We report a case-control study of sporadic VTEC O157 infection. METHODS: We compared 85 sporadic cases of VTEC O157 infection, identified through population surveillance, with 142 controls, randomly selected from general practitioners' lists. We matched cases and controls for age, sex, and family doctor's practice. Exposures to foods, water, animals, farms, and environmental factors were recorded. We visited the premises concerned when cases had eaten beefburgers or cooked sliced meats from caterers or had had contact with a farm. FINDINGS: Consumption of a beefburger from a catering premises other than from a fast-food chain A (a national chain) and consumption of cold cooked sliced meat (eg, in a salad or sandwich) from caterers, but not butchers, was associated with VTEC O157 infection (odds ratios 4.63 [95% CI 1.33-30.14] and 3.36 [1.04-12.74], respectively). Policies for ensuring thorough cooking of burgers by one national fast-food chain differed from the other catering premises we visited. There was evidence of person-to-person spread and transmission of VTEC O157 infection from animals. INTERPRETATION: Local inspection of catering establishments that serve cooked meats together with public education to prevent spread on farms and in houses would reduce the burden of VTEC O157 infection by about 10% for each risk factor.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2000

The relation between dietary change and rising US obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the source from which food is obtained has contributed to the increased obesity of the US population, while controlling for demographic, lifestyle and regional factors. METHODS: Multiple regression was used to estimate the effect of food source on body mass index (BMI) while accounting for other factors which have been shown to affect obesity in a nationally representative sample of the US population. SAMPLE: This study used secondary data from the 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals (CSFII). The CSFII is a nationally representative sample of 16,103 individuals, obtaining for each respondent 24 h recalls of all food intake on two nonconsecutive days as well as demographics and information on lifestyle choices. RESULTS: For a large number of demographic and lifestyle factors, our results support those which have previously been found to contribute to increased overweight. Our contribution is to examine whether the source from which food is obtained also contributes to increased overweight. Our evidence suggests that this is the case. The average height for males in our sample was 1.77 m. For two such males, one who ate food away from home (FAFH) during the previous 24 h period and the other who did not, results suggest that the first will be about 1 kg heavier, all other factors being equal. For two females of average height (1.63 m) the same is true for those who ate fast food, but not at restaurants. In all cases, except females who ate at restaurants, the effects are significant in the regression (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The trends in both increased US obesity and in increased consumption of FAFH are unlikely to be coincidental. FAFH, and particularly fast food consumption, are likely to be contributing factors to increased obesity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Effect of fasting and food intake on magnetization transfer of human liver tissue.

Magnetization transfer (MT) technique is a promising method in differential diagnosis of diseases in parenchymal tissues. Basic knowledge about circumstances and elementary factors that influence MT and its parameters is still insufficient, however. Having a meal before the magnetic resonance (MR) examination could change liver MT parameters compared to fasting state through alteration in liver perfusion, blood flow, and content of portal blood (proteins and other derivates from a meal). If MT parameters can be altered by a meal, then MR liver studies should always be performed after fasting. Before MRI examinations we examined three healthy volunteers after a high-fat meal with Doppler ultrasound technique to find out duration and magnitude of changes in portal blood flow. Duration of > or = 50% increased peak-flow value compared to fasting state in portal vein was > 90 min, which is enough for our MR examination. With a low-field 0.1-T MR imager we examined 10 healthy volunteers after a short (range from 3 h 45 min to 17 h 30 min) fast and also immediately after a high-fat meal. Magnetization transfer parameters, magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) and magnetization transfer rate Rwm of liver tissue were determined. MTR changed significantly (Student paired two-tailed t-test, p = .0044) after a meal, but Rwm did not (p = .0952). We recommend a 4 h fast before MR examination that aims to determine the MTR of liver tissue.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Comparative effects of food restriction, fasting, diabetes and thyroidectomy on growth hormone and thyrotropin gene expression in the rat pituitary.

To examine the molecular basis for the decreased pituitary growth hormone (GH) and thyrotropin (TSH) content during restricted feeding, fasting and diabetes, we measured steady-state levels of mRNA for TSH-alpha, TSH-beta and GH in the pituitary from normal rats either fed ad libitum (C), limited to 75%, 50% and 25% (FR75, FR50, FR25, respectively) of ad libitum intake, or deprived of food for 2 and 4 days (F2 and F4, respectively), and also in streptozotocin-diabetic (D) and D insulin-treated animals. The results from these experimental groups were compared with those in thyroidectomized (Tx) rats. Pituitary mRNA was quantified by Northern blot hybridization with cDNA probes specific for rat TSH-alpha, TSH-beta and GH. Although changes in the pituitary GH mRNA during restricted feeding, fasting and diabetes were similar qualitatively to those induced by hypothyroidism, GH mRNA levels in Tx rats (> 10% of C values) were less than in the other experimental groups (p < 0.001). Pituitaries from FR50, FR25 and D rats also contained less GH mRNA than F2 and F4 animals (p < 0.05). Thyroidectomy resulted in a marked increase in both TSH-beta and TSH-alpha mRNAs, the changes in TSH-beta mRNA being greater than those in TSH-alpha mRNA. In contrast, FR50, FR25, F2, F4 and D rats exhibited a decrease in pituitary TSH-beta mRNA (60%, 50%, 35%, 36% and 33%, respectively, of C values; p < 0.01-0.05) and in TSH-alpha mRNA levels (81%, 64%, 46%, 43% and 36%, respectively, of normal values; p < 0.02-0.05), TSH-beta mRNA showing the greater changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Why Americans eat what they do: taste, nutrition, cost, convenience, and weight control concerns as influences on food consumption.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the self-reported importance of taste, nutrition, cost, convenience, and weight control on personal dietary choices and whether these factors vary across demographic groups, are associated with lifestyle choices related to health (termed health lifestyle), and actually predict eating behavior. DESIGN: Data are based on responses to 2 self-administered cross-sectional surveys. The main outcomes measured were consumption of fruits and vegetables, fast foods, cheese, and breakfast cereals, which were determined on the basis of responses to questions about usual and recent consumption and a food diary. SUBJECTS/SETTING: Respondents were a national sample of 2,967 adults. Response rates were 71% to the first survey and 77% to the second survey (which was sent to people who completed the first survey). STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Univariate analyses were used to describe importance ratings, bivariate analyses (correlations and t tests) were used to examine demographic and lifestyle differences on importance measures, and multivariate analyses (general linear models) were used to predict lifestyle cluster membership and food consumption. RESULTS: Respondents reported that taste is the most important influence on their food choices, followed by cost. Demographic and health lifestyle differences were evident across all 5 importance measures. The importance of nutrition and the importance of weight control were predicted best by subject's membership in a particular health lifestyle cluster. When eating behaviors were examined, demographic measures and membership in a health lifestyle cluster predicted consumption of fruits and vegetables, fast foods, cheese, and breakfast cereal. The importance placed on taste, nutrition, cost, convenience, and weight control also predicted types of foods consumed. APPLICATIONS: Our results suggest that nutritional concerns, per sc, are of less relevance to most people than taste and cost. One implication is that nutrition education programs should attempt to design and promote nutritious diets as being tasty and inexpensive.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Dietary trans-fatty acids: a risk factor for coronary disease].

Unsaturated fatty acids with their double bond in trans configuration raise serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) levels, and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in humans when substituted for cis unsaturated fatty acids in the diet. These effects should increase the risk of coronary heart disease, which is confirmed by epidemiological studies. Trans fatty acids are formed from cis unsaturated fatty acids during hydrogenation of vegetable oils in food industries. Until recently, major dietary sources of trans fatty acids in the Netherlands were frying fats, shortenings, and margarines, which in the past contained up to 50% of trans fatty acids. Nowadays, most shortenings and margarines sold in the Netherlands have a low trans fatty acid content due to manufacturing changes in the recent past. However, frying fats used in fast-food outlets still contain over 30% of trans fatty acids. French fries sold in these outlets provide 7-8 g of trans fatty acids per portion. Producers of frying fats for fast-food outlets therefore should also reduce the trans fatty acid content of their products as much as possible.

Cholesterol↗
PubMed1995

Evaluation of hamburgers and hot dogs for the presence of mutagens.

Food products derived from heat-treated (fried, broiled, baked) meat may contain traces of mutagenic heterocyclic amine contaminants, some of which are proven carcinogens in rodents. To confirm their presence and range in Canadian foods, and estimate the average human intake of these types of mutagens from frequently consumed heat-processed foods, several commercially prepared fried-beef patties (hamburgers) and hot dogs (weiners) were analysed for their mutagenic capacity. The mutagenicity of the extracts was tested in the Salmonella/microsome assay using strain TA98 with metabolic activation. 16 samples of hamburgers and 14 samples of hot dogs, randomly obtained from 'fast food' commercial establishments or street vendors, were used in this survey. The mutagenic activity of these samples ranged from very low to 1042 revertants/g equivalent for the hamburgers and from non-detectable to 4875 revertants/g equivalent for the hot dogs. The average values were 199 and 424 revertants/g for the hamburgers and hot dogs, respectively. The wide range in mutagenicity was found even for the same type of product obtained from the same outlet at different times. This indicates possible inconsistency in cooking procedures during the preparation of these products. It also shows the difficulty in accurately assessing the intake of mutagenic heterocyclic amines from hamburgers and hot dogs prepared in 'fast food' outlets.

Amines↗